69th IB back to mother unit after 10 years

From Malaya Business Insight (Feb 6): 69th IB back to mother unit after 10 years

AN Army battalion is back to its mother unit in Central Luzon after 10 years of fighting secessionist, terrorist, and communist forces in Mindanao.

The 69th Infantry Battalion, composed of around 500 men, was welcomed yesterday by the 7th Infantry Division in rites held at the division’s headquarters in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija.

The battalion will now be used in the renewed campaign against the New People’s Army which has been declared by President Duterte as a terrorist group, together with the Communist Party of the Philippines.

The Duterte government cancelled formal peace negotiations with the communists in November last year. The military targets to degrade the NPA capability within the year. The NPA, the armed wing of the CPP, has some 3,700 men, according to the military.

The 69th IB will start with its new assignment after re-training, said 1Lt. Catherine Hapin, spokeswoman of the 7th ID.

The battalion became a major subordinate unit of the 7th ID in August 1989 and was first assigned in Bataan. In 2007, it moved to Pampanga and later to Aurora. It was in August 2008 when the battalion was deployed to North Cotabato, under the operational control of the 6th ID based in Maguindanao, and battled secessionist forces.

A year later, the battalion was transferred to Davao del Norte, under the operational control of the 10th ID based in Compostela Valley, and operated against communist rebels.

In 2016, it was redeployed to Sulu, an area where the Abu Sayyaf operates, under the military’s Joint Task Force Sulu. Sulu was the battalion’s last deployment, prior its return to the control of the 7th ID.

“During their stay in Mindanao, the 69th IB played an important role in the joint security operations for the apprehension of members of secessionist groups and in the fight against the Abu Sayyaf Group,” said Hapin.

Maj. Gen. Filemon Santos, 7th ID commander, said he is glad the battalion is back with the 7th ID.

During the ceremony, Santos installed Lt. Col. Alcadio Posada as battalion commander, replacing Lt. Col. Ali-Luis Macarawis, said.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/69th-ib-back-mother-unit-after-10-years